Gamers' Faces: Jeff Connor, Founder of Lockdogs - An Improved Pest Control Solution
Jeff "The Visionary" Connor, a marketing maverick with a knack for the unconventional, stumbled upon gold while cruising the highway. This lock, hailing from the heart of Tokyo's Electric City, had the game-changing potential he was yearning for.
A son of Saginaw, Michigan, Connor's unique careerpath took him through various spheres - from being a movie theater projectionist, a magician, a joke writer for Tim Allen, a roller rink regional manager, a morning drive-time radio broadcaster, a ring announcer for Sugar Ray Leonard, and an announcer for the reality show "The Contender." However, these diverse roles never involved locks, making his latest discovery all the more intriguing.
The discovery led Connor to create Lockdogs, a company that sells industry-revolutionizing locks. today, Lockdogs stands as North America's swiftest growing provider of Key-Changeable Locks for the gaming industry. Connor's extensive 30-year-long casino insider knowledge played a crucial role in spearheading this innovative venture.
On one fateful drive with a friend, Connor's eyes caught the MIWA lock, a Japanese lock manufacturer's creation. This lock, now recognized by nearly 300,000 gaming venues across Asia and Australia, holds the power to transform traditional casino locks into relics of an analog past.
The turning point for Connor came at a Vegas restaurant, where casino and gaming bigwigs were gathered. As he showcased the MIWA lock, the room buzzed with excitement. A lightbulb moment arrived when he realized the lock's transformative impact on the industry. This divine stimulation was backed by a casino slot director who insisted, "This lock is the key." From that moment on, Lockdogs began its rapid ascent in the gaming industry.
Today, Connor continues to push the envelope with Lockdogs, reinventing the locking landscape one MIWA lock at a time. As the firm strategically negotiates contracts with the heavyweights of gaming—IGT, Light & Wonder, and more—they aim to change the game by eliminating the need for manual pinning, reducing payroll overhead, and boosting casino profits. The MIWA lock boasts the ability to be rekeyed and repurposed across various gaming applications, from EGMs to tables games, the cage, and beyond.
Lockdogs' efficiency enables the company to function as a lean, two-person team, with Connor and accountant-cum-compliance-genius Rachel Loudon steering it to success. The mascot Nigel, in honor of Connor's late bulldog Neville, proudly represents the brand as Lockdogs continues to redefine casino security standards. The future for Connor and Lockdogs appears bright as they prepare to launch a RouteMaster lock, tailored for the unique challenges of slot and amusement routes. They remain steadfast in their pursuit to innovate, adapting to the ever-changing gaming industry landscape.
- Jeff Connor, the founder of Lockdogs, initially had no experience in the lock industry, previously working in unrelated fields like movie theater projectionist, magician, and radio broadcasting.
- The MIWA lock, now a namesake of Lockdogs' revolutionary product, was discovered during a drive and was initially created by a Japanese lock manufacturer.
- The finance sector has taken notice of Lockdogs, with the company's business model aiming to reduce payroll overhead and boost casino profits through efficient key-changeable locks.
- Jeff Connor, the entrepreneur behind Lockdogs, has always been a visionary, successfully transforming the traditional casino lock industry through his innovative consulting and industry-revolutionizing products, such as the MIWA lock.
